WCH – The Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Care Centre (SA/DVCC), Therapy Service
The Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Care Centre (SA/DVCC), Therapy Service, Women’s College Hospital
Location: Women’s College Hospital, 76 Grenville St, Toronto, ON M5S 1B2
Description of the practicum site and student activities:
The Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Care Centre (SA/DVCC) of Women’s College Hospital offers unique and individualized service, including acute medical care, follow-up care and therapy services. SA/DVCC is a part of the Ontario Network of Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centres, a Network of 37 hospital-based centres. SA/DVCC engages in outreach, education and systemic advocacy with diverse communities, community agencies, the health care community, and the justice system.
The SA/DVCC therapy service offers therapeutic support to clients of all gender identities who have experienced sexual assault and/or intimate partner violence as an adult (16 years and older). This service offers individual therapy to clients, as well as support, advocacy, education, information and referrals.
Learning opportunities for MSW Year 2 students include, engaging in direct short-term therapeutic support with clients, completing documentation in the electronic medical record system, supporting/advocating with clients as they navigate systems, participating in student seminars, and participating in activities related to the Ontario Network of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Centres.
The theoretical framework of SA/DVCC is feminist, anti-oppressive and trauma-informed. Our teaching style is collaborative with practicum students having the opportunity to learn from the interdisciplinary team of SA/DVCC. Individual weekly supervision will also be provided with the expectation that students are committed to and actively engaged in their learning process. This includes demonstration of critically reflective practice through discussions in supervision, bi-weekly reflective logs (which can be art-based), 2 process recordings (one each term) and ongoing review of documentation (clinical notes, advocacy letters, etc).
*Given the therapeutic focus of the SA/DVCC, students applying to this practicum are encouraged to actively be attending to, or have attended to, their own healing process.
Practicum Requirements:
☒ Immunizations per PHA Guidelines
☒ N95 Respirator/Mask Fitting
☒ Comfort working with the population being served
☒ Comprehensive report writing and documentation
Fields of Study
☒ Social Justice and Diversity
☒ Mental Health and Health
Does your practicum require any previous experience?
(If yes, please specify.)
Yes. Applicants must have previous experience providing individual or group therapy; applicants must have a strong feminist, anti-oppressive, trauma-informed foundation; and applicants must have familiarity with the issues of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, trauma, trauma impacts and intersecting systems of oppression that uphold and perpetuate gender-based violence.
Is this practicum in-person, remote or hybrid?
In-person
Will this practicum involve direct work or a mix of direct and indirect?
Mix of direct and indirect
Number of practicums offered:
1
Field Instructor name and credentials:
Ingrid Cologna, MSW, RSW and Rekha John MSW, RSW
Application deadline:
April 7, 2026 @ 4pm
Do you require a resume? Or resume and cover letter?
Resume and cover letter
Accessibility Considerations:
- Will the student have access to a private space for notes or computer use? Yes
- Are there breaks between clients/patients/meetings? Yes
- Is the practicum considered fast-paced? Medium
- Is there a high noise level in the practicum? Low
- Is the site wheelchair accessible? Yes
- What are the physical demands of the practicum? NA
- Are there any other accessibility considerations that potential applicants with disabilities should be aware of?
If you are interested in this practicum, please send a cover letter and resume to samar.hossain@utoronto.ca by April 7, 2026 @ 4pm. Applications will be sent to the site.